Part 2 (2/2)

”Sorry to hear it,” rejoined Sefton.

”Is dat so?” enquired the perplexed German, mystified at his foe's solicitude.

”Yes,” soliloquized the sub. ”We would much rather have collared the strafed submarine intact. We didn't bargain for her keel plates being stove in.

”Now then!” he exclaimed. ”I'll take eleven of you men first trip.”

The c.o.xwain and bowman of the boat deftly engaged their boat-hooks in convenient projections of the submarine's conning-tower, while the specified number of dejected and apprehensive Huns was received on board.

Having delivered the first batch of prisoners on the destroyer, Sefton returned, but, instead of immediately running alongside the prize, he ordered his men to lie on their oars. With the boat drifting at a distance of twenty yards from the unterseeboot, the sub coolly awaited developments.

The Huns--officers and men alike--were far from cool. Gesticulating wildly, they implored the sub to take them off. Never before had Sefton seen a greater anxiety on the part of the Germans to abandon their s.h.i.+p, and in the course of eleven months' service in the North Sea his knowledge of the ways of the wily Hun was fairly extensive.

At length two of the submarine's crew, unable to restrain their panic, leapt overboard and struck out for the boat.

”Stand by with a stretcher, there, Jenkins,” ordered Sefton. ”Show them what we mean to do. Knock them over the knuckles if they attempt to grasp the gunwale.”

”We surrender do, kamerad!” shouted the Huns in dolorous chorus, seeing their companions repelled from the waiting boat.

”Yes, I know,” replied Sefton. ”You've told me that already. A few minutes' wait won't hurt you. There's plenty of time.”

”Back oars!” ordered the sub, as the Germans, terrified beyond measure, slid from the submarine's deck into the water, officers and men striking out frantically.

Thirty seconds later came the dull m.u.f.fled sound of an explosion. A thin wreath of vapour issued from the open conning-tower.

”Not much of a bust-up that,” exclaimed Sefton contemptuously. ”It would not have flicked a fly from her deck. Well, I suppose I must take the beggars into the boat.”

The lightness of the explosion had also astonished the German officers.

Adopting their usual procedure they had fixed three detonators in the hull of the stranded vessel, and upon the approach of the _Calder's_ boat the second time they had lighted the four-minute time-fuses.

Sefton, guessing rightly what had been done, had resolved to give the Huns, not a bad quarter of an hour, but a worse three minutes. He, too, expected to see the submarine's hull disintegrated by a terrific explosion.

On the boat's return to the destroyer with the rest of the prisoners, Sefton made his report to the lieutenant-commander.

”Can't blame them,” declared Crosthwaite. ”In similar circ.u.mstances we would have done the same, but with better results, I hope. Send that petty officer aft; I want to speak to him.”

The man indicated was, as luck would have it, the fellow responsible for lighting the fuses. Putting on his fiercest expression, Lieutenant-Commander Crosthwaite sternly taxed him with attempting to destroy the submarine after she had surrendered.

Taken aback, the man admitted that it was so.

”How many detonators?” asked Crosthwaite.

”Three, Herr Kapitan.”

”And what time-fuses?”

”Four-minutes,” was the reply.

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